Malia and Sasha Obama don't have that puppy yet, but their parents found another way to keep them entertained at the White House: A killer swing set.
The girls returned home from school Wednesday to find a new play set installed on the mansion's grounds, just a few yards from the Oval Office. The girls, ages 7 and 10, squealed with delight when they saw the set and played on it for almost an hour, a spokeswoman for First Lady Michelle Obama said.
The play set continues a long tradition of trying to make children feel comfortable in the White House. Caroline Kennedy had a swing set on the White House lawn, while President Jimmy Carter designed and help build a treehouse for his daughter, Amy.
The Obamas considered five manufacturers before selecting South Dakota-based Rainbow Play Systems Inc., according to the company's Illinois distributor. The couple chose the classic "Rainbow Castle" because it was made in the United States and one of the girls' Chicago friends had a similar set, the distributor said.
The cedar and redwood playground boasts four swings, a slide, a fort and a climbing wall. It also has a picnic table with brass plates etched with the names of all 44 presidents.
The set typically costs about $3,500, according to Joanie Barrus, Rainbow's Illinois distributor. The Obamas' actual price tag was not released, but Barrus said they paid for it themselves.
Despite all its bells, whistles and brass plates, the girls' set is not the most extravagant set in the company's catalog. Others sets come with spiral slides, spacious lofts and massive tricolored tents.
"The Obamas made a very conservative choice," Barrus said. "It's absolutely not over-the-top."